Jottings

So the weather is doing this crazy thing where it's reverting to summer again. I've taken to walking to school recently, partly for exercise, and partly to save money. I figured since it's been getting cooler recently, it wouldn't be too bad and I wouldn't arrive at school too sweaty. However, the past two days, it has been unbelievably warm and humid in the morning and afternoon, and only cools down after sunset. Everyone's saying this is really weird and that it hasn't been this warm at the end of October in a long time. I don't think it's quite as bad as it was in August, but it's a bit uncomfortable, especially if you do any sort of exercise.

I played football with the guys again today, and it was really fun and a really good way for me to let off some stress and tire myself out enough that hopefully I'll sleep well tonight. It's interesting, the Taiwanese guys, after some initial uncertainty about me, seem to take to me as well, or even better, than some of the American guys I played with back in LA. There was this one guy today who seemed to make a point of passing the ball to me and to get me involved in the game, and there was another guy who was playing keeper and was giving me instructions just like he would to any other player, which I thought was cool and showed that he respected me at the level of a player. Football isn't that big here, and though there are some pretty skilled players here, I can more than hold my own with most of the guys.

Also on the football front, Liverpool beat Chelsea last weekend, snapping Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten streak at home. It was an amazing game for Liverpool, and I think it really showed that Liverpool are ready for a title challenge this year. They didn't just eke out a win or win ugly, they dominated the second half, made Chelsea look slow and disorganized on defense, and they played some amazing one-touch football in the attacking third that was just superb. And the really awesome thing is, Torres wasn't playing. The fact that Liverpool now have players that can step up and really fill that gap, even when players like Torres and Gerrard are out, is going to be key in making a title run. Right now, Xabi Alonso is really on form, absolutely dominated the midfield against Chelsea, and is really showing why keeping him instead of bringing in Barry was the right choice. I know it's only the first part of the season, but I can't tell you how excited I am that Liverpool are not only winning games, but are playing some real quality football as well.

I literally just stepped away from my computer because the doorbell rang, and guess who was at the door? Two young men from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. They were very polite and a little bit bashful because they were trying out their English on me, and I felt bad for sending them away, but I had no interest.

Things are a bit up and down at the moment, the semester is winding down, and I'm definitely in that end-of-term slump that I remember all too well from college, but I'm just trying to slog through and get to the end of the semester with good grades and good standing with my professor, who I'm planning to continue on with next term. We just found out today that we have a fairly long break in the middle of the winter term for Chinese New Year, so I don't know if I'll travel then, or just hang out here and explore the city. Apparently Christmas isn't really celebrated here, which I'm kind of surprised about since Christianity seems fairly prevalent here. But Chinese New Year should be fun.

So that's that. I played football, got a visit from Mormons, and now I'm off to hopefully get some quality rest before my exam tomorrow.